Optical discs, for example CDs, DVD's and Mini-Disc's are commonly used media for storing data of all types including music, video, multimedia and software. Recordable optical discs commonly known as Recordable CDs (CR−Rs), Re-Writeable CDs (CD−RW), DVD−Rs, DVD−RWs, DVD+Rs, DVD+RWs, and Recordable Mini-Discs are commonly available to individuals. As technology has advanced and the popularity of personal computers has increased, many individuals now enjoy creating their own CDs, DVDs and Mini-Discs.
In general, as the manufacturers of recordable optical discs cannot anticipate what specific data the end user will choose to record, recordable optical discs are void of unique labels or printing that would permit a user to distinguish one recorded disc from another. To avoid confusion the user must write on or label the disc.
Although handwriting upon the disc is a common practice, it generally makes the disc appear to be of poor quality. To provide more pleasing identifying indicia, the user may employ the use of a computer application to create a data structure for a label comprising words and or images. Such a process is both time consuming and subject to human errors such as misspelling.
Regardless of the user's artistic talent and associated frustrations with the labeling software, the options currently available to the user to create a physical visual label are limited and problematic. In one popular method, the software generated information is printed upon a sheet containing a special die-cut adhesive label. After printing, the label must be manually applied to the optical disc. Special tools, gigs, and even removable paper guides have been developed to assist with the process of attempting to properly apply the label to the optical disc. Misapplication of the label is quite common. A paper label may become misaligned, folded, or torn. With a translucent plastic label it is often difficult to apply the label without capturing air bubbles under the label. These labeling problems may result in a range of outcomes from an optical disc that is unusable to an optical disc that is viewed as poor quality.
Devices such as printing trays to hold optical discs for printing and specialized printers for printing to an optical disc have recently been brought to market to address many of the problems with the manual label process.
However, whether using the adhesive label method or direct printing method, the user must remove the optical disc from the recorder to complete the labeling process. This act introduces vulnerabilities to the disc identifying process. Most notable of these is the very real chance that the label will not be applied to the intended disc. If the user is making many discs, has for some reason a number of unlabeled discs, or does not complete the labeling process while the identity of the disc is clear, the disc may be mislabeled.
In the event of confusion over the identity of an optical disc, the user can return the disc to a player or player/recorder and view the contents. Such a process may require that the user review multiple unlabeled discs in the search for the desired one—a potentially arduous and time consuming task. Upon identifying the desired unlabeled disc, if the user does not proceed with the labeling process the opportunity for confusion will arise again.
Hence, there is a need for an optical disc printer assembly that overcomes one or more of the drawbacks identified above. The present invention satisfies one or more of these needs.